Dar Williams Performs to a Full House for Ossining MATTERS

Dar William onstage at OHS

Dar Williams with Nancy Scorcia and Cindy Williams
Photos by David Silbert
(See more photos form the concert and the auction)

Saturday night’s sold-out gala benefit concert featuring OHS’s Gimme the Mic performers and singer-songwriter Dar Williams raised nearly $65,000, which Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation will use to supplement academic, cultural arts, and athletic programs in the Ossining School District.

More than 750 people attended the concert. The crowd was packed with community supporters and loyal Dar Williams fans (including the singer’s parents!), some from as far away as Canada and New Mexico. From Cindy Winter’s and Nancy Scorcia’s bright welcomes to the dynamic Gimme the Mic performances, through every one of Dar Williams’s songs and relaxed, entertaining stories, the audience was enthralled. Dar Williams’s open, generous stage manner, evocative storytelling, graceful guitar and soaring voice held something for everyone in the auditorium. Along with crowd-pleasing old favorites like “The Babysitter’s Here,” and “When I Was A Boy,” Williams played songs from her newer albums, a new tune called “The Easy Way,” and her lesser-known “O Canada Girls,” which she performed as a tribute to the Gimme the Mic students. Though the crowd was huge – OHS Principal Josh Mandel said he didn’t think he’d ever seen every seat in the auditorium filled before – the overall feeling was wonderfully intimate.

Following the concert, the party moved down the hill to the Portuguese Club of Ossining, where Dar Williams celebrated the evening’s success with Ossining MATTERS supporters. Along with food and beverages donated by local restaurants and merchants, the reception featured both a silent and a live auction. Items ranging from a private wine-tasting, to the chance to be a character in a new novel by Michael Connelly, to a Marc Chagall lithograph, to a week at a flat in London, drew spirited bidding, though the competition was always friendly. The auction receipts boosted the evening’s proceeds considerably, helping to ensure that Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation will continue to be able to fund a broad range of programs meeting a wide variety of student needs and interests throughout the Ossining School District.

Saturday night, just before Dar Williams played her encore, Ossining MATTERS board member Bill Kress took the stage to make a couple of announcements. “Isn’t this agreat time to live in Ossining?” he began – and a wave of applause drowned out his next words.

What a great time to live in Ossining, indeed. So many good things are happening in our community right now. For us at Ossining MATTERS, the overwhelming support shown for our mission Saturday night is right at the top of that list. We extend our most heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to the evening, whether by attending the concert, bidding at the auction, donating items for the auction and reception, stuffing envelopes, or any of the other myriad ways people have helped. Thanks to you, we will continue to make a positive difference in the education of Ossining’s students.

Providing Monetary Aid Teaching Tools Enriching Resources for our Schools Home Page About Ossining MATTERS Mission Statement Board of Directors Funding Policies Projects Funded Donations in Action Upcoming Events Archive Ossining School District Sobre Ossining MATTERS en español Donate to Ossining MATTERS, Inc. Online Contact Information Ossining MATTERS, Inc. PO Box 1012 Ossining, NY 10562 914-510-9320 Or email us info@ossiningmatters.org	Dar Williams Performs to a Full House for Ossining MATTERS Dar William onstage at OHS Dar Williams with Nancy Scorcia and Cindy Williams Photos by David Silbert (See more photos form the concert and the auction) Saturday night’s sold-out gala benefit concert featuring OHS’s Gimme the Mic performers and singer-songwriter Dar Williams raised nearly $65,000, which Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation will use to supplement academic, cultural arts, and athletic programs in the Ossining School District. More than 750 people attended the concert. The crowd was packed with community supporters and loyal Dar Williams fans (including the singer’s parents!), some from as far away as Canada and New Mexico. From Cindy Winter’s and Nancy Scorcia’s bright welcomes to the dynamic Gimme the Mic performances, through every one of Dar Williams’s songs and relaxed, entertaining stories, the audience was enthralled. Dar Williams’s open, generous stage manner, evocative storytelling, graceful guitar and soaring voice held something for everyone in the auditorium. Along with crowd-pleasing old favorites like “The Babysitter’s Here,” and “When I Was A Boy,” Williams played songs from her newer albums, a new tune called “The Easy Way,” and her lesser-known “O Canada Girls,” which she performed as a tribute to the Gimme the Mic students. Though the crowd was huge – OHS Principal Josh Mandel said he didn’t think he’d ever seen every seat in the auditorium filled before – the overall feeling was wonderfully intimate. Following the concert, the party moved down the hill to the Portuguese Club of Ossining, where Dar Williams celebrated the evening’s success with Ossining MATTERS supporters. Along with food and beverages donated by local restaurants and merchants, the reception featured both a silent and a live auction. Items ranging from a private wine-tasting, to the chance to be a character in a new novel by Michael Connelly, to a Marc Chagall lithograph, to a week at a flat in London, drew spirited bidding, though the competition was always friendly. The auction receipts boosted the evening’s proceeds considerably, helping to ensure that Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation will continue to be able to fund a broad range of programs meeting a wide variety of student needs and interests throughout the Ossining School District. Saturday night, just before Dar Williams played her encore, Ossining MATTERS board member Bill Kress took the stage to make a couple of announcements. “Isn’t this agreat time to live in Ossining?” he began – and a wave of applause drowned out his next words. What a great time to live in Ossining, indeed. So many good things are happening in our community right now. For us at Ossining MATTERS, the overwhelming support shown for our mission Saturday night is right at the top of that list. We extend our most heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to the evening, whether by attending the concert, bidding at the auction, donating items for the auction and reception, stuffing envelopes, or any of the other myriad ways people have helped. Thanks to you, we will continue to make a positive difference in the education of Ossining’s students.